Podgorica, Montenegro (24 April 2017) – Deputy Prime Minister for Political System, Interior and Foreign Policy Zoran Pažin delivered speech at the opening of the II National Conference on judiciary reform in Montenegro, which took place in the PR Centre in Podgorica, under the auspices of the NGOs Human Rights Action and CeMI.

DPM Pažin said that the Government of Montenegro and the civil society cherish good cooperation, particularly when it comes to the judiciary reform process, as an important part of Montenegro's path towards the EU. The civil society is actively engaged in this process and the Government will continue strengthening cooperation in this area, DPM Pažin added.

Progress made in the field of judiciary reform is notable when it comes to legislative and institutional frameworks, DPM Pažin noted, adding that the Government of Montenegro and civil society should make additional efforts towards achieving positive results in the coming period. He highlighted that the individual responsibility is crucial for improving the judiciary reform, and that this conference is an important step in raising the level of accountability, as an indicator of a successful judiciary system.

The conference represents the final part of the project titled “Monitoring of Judiciary Reform,” implemented by the NGOs Human Rights Action and CeMI, with the support of the EU Delegation to Montenegro, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Ministry of Justice.

The project is aimed at supporting the judiciary reform process in Montenegro through active engagement of the civil society organisations willing to contribute to the country’s progress towards the EU, particularly when it comes to chapters 23 and 24.